Phonograph



No. 622,843. A Patented Apr. ll, I899. T. A. EDISON. PHONOGRAPH.

(Application filed Dec. 3, 1890.)

(No Model.)

iwwnwooao 3b Guam Tn: worms Perms co mefoumoq WASHINGTON. 04 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF LLEWELLYN PARK, NEW JERSEY.

PHONOGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,843, dated April11, 1899.

' Application filed December 3,1890. .Serial No. 373,407. (No modem Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Llewellyn Park, in the countyof Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inPhonographs, (Case N0..S89,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to phonograph recorders and reproducers; and itconsists in means for enabling the recorder or reproducer to operatesatisfactorily notwithstanding irregularities or eccentricities whichare sometimes found in the surface of the phonogramf blanks owing toimperfections in their man ufacture or to warping after manufacture.

The invention is based upon the disclosures of my caveat N0. 111,(Official No. 147/10,3OS,) filed October 26, 1888.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view and partialelevation of a phonograph embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top Viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form. Fig.4 is a top view of the form shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 1, illustrating in exaggerated form the bodily movements of therecorder or reproducer to compensate for eccentricities of thephonogram-blank.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, 1 is the phonograph-shaft, 2 thephonograph-cylinder, and 3 the phonogram-blank.

4 is the guide-rod upon which the recorder or reproducer carrying arm 5is mounted, so

that such arm can be swung upon said rod to lift the recorder orreproducer off of the blank and so that said arm can be movedlongitudinally on said rod by the feeding mechanism of the phonograph,as will be well understood. Theca-rrying-arm 5 projects forward over thephonograph-cylinderand at its forward free-end rests upon the guide-bar6, upon which it slides in the operation of the phonograph. Its bearingon the guide-bar 6 maybe made adjustable by means of a thumbscrew. O verthe phonograph-cylinder the carrying-arm 5 is opened out into the formof a ring 5, in which the recorder or reproducer is pivoted, so that therecording or reproducing point will rest directly by the weight of theentire recorder or reproducer (counterbalanced so far as may benecessary) upon eccentricities of the blank, as illustrated inexaggerated form inFig. 5, while the inertia of the recorder orreproducer issnch that with respect to the minute elevations anddepressions which constitute the sound-record its position is alwaysfixed and the movements produced by the sound-waves in recording or bythe sound-record in reproducing are communicated to the diaphragm andpoint without producing any bodily movement of the recorder orreproducer.

7 is the recording or reproducing point, shown as pivoted at 8 to thediaphragm-ring 10 and operatively connected with the diaphragm 9. Saiddiaphragm is mounted in the ring or frame 10 in the ordinary manner. Thediaphragm-ring 10 is secured to the lever 11, which is pivoted at 13 tothe carryingarm. The lever 11 has an adjustable weight 12 upon it, whichmay be adjusted to balance more or less completely or actuallyoverbalance the weight of the recorder or reproducer. To secure a fineradjustment, a spring 17 may be provided, extending from an arm 14 on thelever 11 to a post 15 on the ring 5 of the carryingarm 5. The spring 17is capable of being adjusted by a thumb-screw 16, and the tension ofthat spring tends to throw the recorder or reproducer toward the surfaceof the blank or record.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the diaphragm-ring is securedto a lever 15, which is pivoted on the forward end or fingerpiece 5 ofthe carrying-arm. From this fingerpiece rises the standard 18, to whichthe lever 15 is connected by means of the balancing-spring 17. In thisinstance the spring tends to lift the recorder or reproducer ofi of thesurface of the blank or record, while the weight of the recorder orreproducer, which is not completely counterbalanced by the spring,causes the recording or reproducing point to engage with the blank orrecord. A speaking or listening tube 19 is supported by an arm orstandard 20, which is mounted on the carrying-arm 5. The end of the tube19,which enters the neck of the diaphragm-ring 10, is vsmaller indiameter than the opening in the neck. The speaking or listening tube19is thus supported independently of the recorder or reproducer, so thatthe recorder or reproducer is not retarded in its movement by the weightof the tube. The tube 19 and its support are shown only in connectionwith Figs. 3 and 4:; but it will be understood that the tube will besupported in the same manner for the form of recorder or. reproducershown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a phonograph, the combination with thephonograph-cylinder, of a carrying-arm pivoted on a guide-rod in rear ofthe cylinder and projecting over the cylinder to a guiderest in frontthereof, and a recorder or reproducer pivotally supported by thecarryingarm and having the recording or reproducing point restingdirectly upon the blank or record, whereby the recorder or reproducer ismoved bodily by eccentricities in the blank or record surface,substantially as set forth.

2. In a phonograph, the combination With the phonograph-cylinder, of acarrying-arm pivoted on a guide-rod in rear of the cylinder andprojecting over the cylinder to a guiderest in front thereof, a recorderor reproducer pivotally supported by the carrying-arm and having therecording or reproducing point resting directly upon the -blank orrecord, whereby the recorder or reproducer is moved bodily byeccentricities in the blank or record surface, and balancing devices forcounterbalancing the excessive weight of the recorder or reproducer,substantially as set forth.

3. In a phonograph, the combination with the phonograph-cylinder, of acarrying-arm pivotally supported on a guide-rod in rear of the cylinderand projecting over the cylinder and resting on a guide-rest at itsforward free end, a recorder or reproducer pivotally supported by thecarrying-arm and having the recording or reproducing point restingdirectly upon the blank or record, such recorder or reproducer movingbodily to compensate for eccentricities of the blank or record surface,and a speaking or listening tube supported independently of the recorderor reproducer so as not to interfere with its bodily movements,substantially asset forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 1st day of December, 1890.

TI-IOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. RANDOLPH, W. PELZER.

